Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Bad Mood? Go to Wal Mart

Who knew Wal Mart could be the happiest place on Earth? Not me, that's for sure. I normally dread trips to Wal Mart and today was no different. Plus, I've been in a perpetual state of bad-moodness for the past week or so. It's a combination of a lot of things, mostly to do with being a parent (Avery has been in some big trouble lately), some with school starting (I don't do well with change), and some with getting older (I'll be 36 tomorrow!). None of these things are big enough to ruin a person's day, but when you combine them all every day for a week, it starts to feel kinda big. I've been trying to find ways to lift my spirits, including drinking spirits, but nothing seems to be working. My house has been a pit and sometimes, the out-of-control appearance of my house makes me feel out of control. I'm babysitting and busy, so I decided to milk my bad mood and beg my husband to hire Celia, our once-every-six-months housekeeper. (How many hyphenated words can one person use in a post?)I should be elated. And it makes me feel like a spoiled brat that I was irritated that she was 2 hours late. I was irritated because I have Reese (2 1/2), Rhett (15 months) and the baby I keep (9 months.) I had meals, naps and poops all planned out so that I could get it all done, be gone for a couple of hours and then come back in time for one more feeding for the baby before we walk to the school to pick up Avery and other kids I'm keeping today. Ok, so she's 2 hours late. I am not going to act rude about it because it's not like she was at the mall shopping. She was cleaning someone else's house and I should be grateful I can afford to hire her (sometimes when it's my birthday week) at all. So we rolled with it.I loaded up the kids and the baby immediately started screaming. I began to dread walking around Wal Mart with three kids under three when only two can fit in the cart and the one who can walk is notorious for hiding in stores. But the minute we walked in the door, I could tell it would be a good trip.There was a band singing directly behind the cash registers. Actually, it was a man and two women, but they were really getting after it. The man's name is Fisher Stevenson, and according to the Wal Mart workers, he's "the next big thing." He was very social and personable and he talked to people as they walked by. He spotted Reese in her pink princess gown and tap shoes and told her she was beautiful. That's all that girl needs to hear. She stopped directly in front of him. He looked at me, asked her her name and told me she looked like Suri Cruise (2nd person in 10 minutes, by the way.) He then said "This next song is dedicated to Reese here." He asked Reese if she knew ballet and she put her hands up and twirled. He began to play and she proceeded to dance, all by herself in a circle of onlookers. She didn't stop the entire song, and a few other kids came to join. I know it's a cliche, but that girl danced like nobody was watching. And when the song ended and the group of spectators began to applaud, she came running up to me, arms wide open, with a look of pure joy on her face. It was one of "those" moments. The moments as a mother where you feel as if your heart will burst right out of your chest. One of those moments where everything else in the world fades completely away and all you can feel is happiness. I will never in my life forget Sweet Little Reesie, twirling in her "pin-thess" dress and "tippy taps," confident and secure that, at that moment she was the most beautiful, talented ballerina in the world.